#
this JAW-LESS FACE.
Larry removes his glove, wipes off his bloodied arm and starts
#
to leave the bathroom when something else catches his attention-
#
He comes closer to the spiderweb cracked medicine cabinet
#
mirror. A TINY DROP OF BLOOD is dripping from one of the cracks.
*
Strange.
A DARK SILHOUETTE PASSES BEHIND HIM IN THE REFLECTION. He turns
#
immediately- The bloodied bathroom is still and silent. Angela’s
*
destroyed body lies in the empty bathtub.
A police inspector in the next room, calls out to him-
#
POLICE INSPECTOR O.S.
Larry? Take a look at this…
#
LARRY
#
What is it?
POLICE INSPECTOR O.S.
Come take a look for yourself.
*
Larry exits the bathroom. The police inspector in the living
#
room holds a picture frame in his hands. He turns towards Larry-
#
POLICE INSPECTOR
Look… Isn't Ben Carson in the picture?
#
CUT TO:
INT. DAY - POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM
Still wearing his uniform, Ben is sitting alone in one of the
interrogation rooms of the police station. His haggard face
expresses great grief. His sister's death has left him
#
distraught.
He fiddles with an empty plastic cup in his hands.
The classic two-way mirror facing him, throws back his
reflection.
Ben knows that he is being watched.
Behind the two-way mirror, Amy observes him. Larry is standing
#
next to her.
LARRY
#
The water has obliterated most of the
#
marks. No trace of struggle or broken
#
entry, the entrance door was locked.
#
48.
CONTINUED:
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
The person who did this must have had
#
the keys to her apartment, or
#
otherwise it was somebody she knew...
#
AMY
He would never have laid a finger on
#
her. When their father died, Ben took
#
care of his sister. Angela meant the
#
world to him.
#
LARRY
#
Listen, so far, his statement is
#
pretty consistent with the facts… We
checked it out, he did place a call
from work at 12:30, and the woman's
#
downstairs neighbors claim they
started noticing the water leakage at
around two in the morning. The daytime
security guard, Lorenzo Sappeli,
confirms he came on after Ben's shift
at seven a.m. The only strange thing,
and it may just be a coincidence, is
that Ben told Sappeli that he had
decided to quit his job, as if he was
planning to go away somewhere… Did he
mention anything about it to you?
AMY
No, lately, communication hasn't quite
been our strong point…
(she smiles)
I only found out yesterday that he was
#
staying at his sister’s. What are you
#
going to do with him?
#
LARRY
#
I figure we'll let him go. At this
#
point we haven't got any real reason
#
to keep him here. And, I think he's
#
had his share for the day.
#
AMY
#
You know what’s gonna happen if you
#
let him go. He won’t stop here. I know
#
him, he won’t stop until he finds who
#
did this to her.
#
LARRY
#
Listen, where we stand now, we got
#
nothing, not a single clue. I’m sure
#
he can help us.
#
AMY
#
What kind of friend are you? You are
#
using him. He’s not a cop anymore.
#
49.
CONTINUED:
LARRY (CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
LARRY
#
He’s still the best one I know, even
#
if he’s one of the suspects.
#
Amy comes closer to the two-way mirror. She looks at her ex-
#
husband on the other side. He seems overcome with grief and
#
confusion. She can see the distress in his eyes.
#
LARRY (CONT'D)
#
Try to keep an eye on him.
#
CUT TO:
#
EXT. DAY - POLICE STATION
Ben has been released.
Under the pouring rain, on the front steps of the police
station, Amy tries to reason with him-
AMY
You have to see someone Ben. You
*
cannot stay in this situation any
longer. You need help, psychological
support.
Ben is not listening. His mind is elsewhere.
AMY (CONT'D)
Why don't you…if you want…come spend a
#
few days at home, with the kids?
BEN
No, I don’t want to put them in any
danger.
AMY
What do you mean?
*
BEN
*
I've got things I need to deal with.
AMY
Ben, look at me! I don't want you to
get into any trouble. Think about
Daisy and Michael. You are not going
to solve this case. Please, stay out
#
of it.
BEN
#
She asked me to quit and they got to
#
her...
#
AMY
#
What? Who are you talking about?
#
50.
CONTINUED: (2)
(CONTINUED)
BEN
#
I know who did this Amy.
#
AMY
In that case, you have to tell them
#
everything.
BEN
They wouldn't believe me and neither
would you… Goodbye.
#
Ben walks away, leaving Amy alone on the steps of the police
station
AMY
Ben, wait…
Ben does not turn around. The rain is beating down harder and
the thunder grumbles in the distance. The first lightning
*
flashes light up the sky.
*
Another flash-
- QUEENS APARTMENT -
68A
68A
#
Ben ignores the crime scene’s restriction perimeter and enters
#
Angela’s apartment. Without turning on the light, he goes
#
straight for a leather pouch stashed among his cardboard boxes.
#
Inside- A.357 MAGNUM, his former cop weapon.
*
Another flash-
*
EXT. NIGHT - MAYFLOWER
*
The lightning bolts illuminate the facade of the department
store.
Ben's car is parked in front of the construction fence.
INT. NIGHT - MAYFLOWER
The rainwater pours through the openings in the roof,
penetrating the interior of the deserted department store. It
dribbles down the cracked walls and over the half-burnt
mannequins…
INT. NIGHT - MAYFLOWER BASEMENT- MIRROR ROOM
We hear the echo of the roaring thunder outside, but in the
gloom of the flooded basement, there is another blaring sound-
51.
CONTINUED:
(CONTINUED)
A DULL METALLIC THUD. It gets louder and louder, closer and
closer as we advance towards the opening to the mirror room-
Inside, we find Ben, out of his mind, throwing a chair against
*
the mirrors with all his strength, in an attempt to demolish
them-
*
He’s exhausted and he’s forced to stop.
Not a single shard of glass, not even a scratch, the mirrors
seem completely indestructible…
Ben is not through with them. He drops the chair to the ground
and pulls out the gun from his belt.
*
Without a moment's hesitation he opens fire-
THE MIRRORS SHATTER VIOLENTLY, CRACKING WITH THE POWERFUL IMPACT
*
OF THE BULLETS. In the spiderweb-cracked mirror, his image is
*
deformed.
#
Having found a weak spot, Ben savors his sweet victory when,
suddenly, something inconceivable unfolds before his very eyes-
THE BULLET IMPACTS DISSOLVE AS IF BY MAGIC AND THE MIRRORS ARE
RECONSTITUTED!
Ben's shock and disbelief give way to rage. He fires, in a fury,
emptying the entire clip this time-
Again, the bullet holes vanish, leaving Ben alone, face to face
with his own reflection. He breaks down nervously-
BEN
Why did you do it? WHY? WHY DID YOU
HAVE TO KILL HER?
Silence.
BEN (CONT'D)
What is it you want? What do you want
from me? ANSWER ME! WHAT IS IT YOU
WANT?!
Suddenly, one after the other, letters, start appearing in one
of the mirrors, as if an invisible finger were tracing them in
the dust-
R E K E S S E
Ben turns around, and in the reflection of the opposite mirror
he recognizes the inverted word- the same word he found on the
note in Gary's wallet, the word Ben himself had traced in his
bathroom mirror-
52.
CONTINUED:
(CONTINUED)
E S S E K E R
CUT TO:
INT. NIGHT -QUEENS APARTMENT
Back in the Queens apartment, Ben still hasn't gotten any sleep.
#
On the wall, he is assembling all the newspaper clippings,
articles and photographs that Gary sent him.
Each and every mirror in Angela’s apartment has been covered
#
with sheets, blankets, old rags- anything he could find to
#
neutralize the reflective surfaces.
#
With the phone cradled between his ear and shoulder he is in the
middle of a heated conversation-
BEN
…Look up Esseker… Yes, Echo, Sierra,
*
Sierra, Echo, Kilo, Echo, Romeo...
Esseker. No idea, my guess is that
*
it's a name… No, I haven't got a first
name. Yes, in New York. Over the past
five or six years. I know it's hazy
but that's all I've got. I already
looked it up in the phone book. I also
called someone at the IRS and at the
DMV, but nothing there. It's very
#
important Larry. You’ll call me back?
#
Ok…
Ben hangs up the phone and remains in front of the wall covered
with clippings for a moment. Now he can have a clear overview of
Gary's investigative research.
All the articles date back approximately to the same period and
are all related to the fire that ravaged Mayflower five years
ago.
But not a hint of Esseker.
Ben studies the newspaper clippings, trying to piece the story
together-
“ Deadly Fire at Mayflower- 29 dead and 78 wounded “
*
“ Brutal Massacre- Mother and her three daughters slaughtered…“
#
“ …the children, drowned, in the bathtub… “
“ …the throat slit open… “
“ Mayflower’s security guard taken in for questioning… “
53.
CONTINUED: (2)
(CONTINUED)
“ The night watchman confesses to setting the fire but firmly
denies the accusation of murdering his family… “
“ Terrence Berry confesses but claims the mirrors are guilty-
The security guard at Mayflower finally confesses. He started
the fire in the department store with the intention of
destroying the mirrors, responsible, according to him, for the
death of his wife and three daughters. “
Ben observes Terrence Berry's face in one of the archive
photographs. He looks like a perfectly normal guy, rather kind,
surely he was a good father… Ben can’t help but empathize with
#
him.
#
As he looks up, Ben catches a glimpse of his reflection in the
#
window-
#
What if he too lost his mind and went on to slaughter his
family? Or what if the mirrors would do it?
#
The phone rings-
BEN (CONT'D)
Yes, so, what'd you find out? Nothing
under that name? Shit, shit, shit,
shit… Can you look up Berry, Terrence
Berry…
Ben holds on the line, for a moment.
BEN (CONT'D)
…Got anything? Great…No, I already
know all that. Is he still alive? No…
Can you find out where he was
committed before his death? Wait, I'm
writing it down…
Ben sits down on the bed and scribbles down the address on a
piece of paper.
BEN (CONT'D)
...Roosevelt Psychiatric Detention
*
Center... Yeah, I know where it is.
*
Thanks.
He hangs up the phone. Under the blanket, next to him, he spots
the T-shirt that his sister was wearing the other night.
#
The pain is too strong. He cannot hold back his tears anymore
#
and starts crying.
#
CUT TO:
54.
CONTINUED:
INT. DAY -NEW JERSEY HOUSE - KITCHEN
The next morning -
Heavy-eyed and sleepy, Michael is hypnotized in front of the
weather forecast on TV.
The hot chocolate set in front of him is getting cold. His
sister Daisy pours herself some more orange juice. Amy, shaking
a box of cereal, interrupts the little boy in his dream state-
AMY
Do you want the cereal in your hot
chocolate or in a separate bowl?
The little boy does not answer.
AMY (CONT'D)
Michael?
MICHAEL
In the chocolate…
AMY
…In the chocolate, please, mom…
MICHAEL
(repeating after her)
…Please, mom.
She pours the cereal in his hot chocolate.
DAISY
Yuck, that's gross, how can you eat
that?
AMY
Come on, come on, let's get going, or
you're going to be late for school.
Michael begins to eat his breakfast, his gaze still fixed on the
weatherman's forecast on TV. As Amy fills the cat's bowl with
pellets, Tiger rushes over to join the rest of the family.
DAISY
Mom?
AMY
What is it sweetheart?
DAISY
Do you know that Michael has a new
friend?
55.
(CONTINUED)
MICHAEL
No, that's not true!
AMY
Really, what's his name?
MICHAEL
(to his sister)
You promised not to tell.
AMY
Does he go to your school?
Michael doesn't answer. Daisy shakes her head.
AMY (CONT'D)
(pretending to be
indifferent)
Very well. If you don't want to tell
me about it…
The little boy stays quiet.
MICHAEL
He doesn't want me to talk about him.
Amy suddenly becomes more concerned and sits down next to
Michael-
AMY
Why doesn't he want you to talk about
him? Is he a grown up?
MICHAEL
No…
AMY
So, he's a little boy your age, then?
Michael gives a reluctant nod. Amy is reassured. He finishes his
mug of cereal and goes to place it in the sink. Amy gives Daisy
a questioning look-
AMY (CONT'D)
(to Michael)
Does he live in our street? Is it one
of our neighbors?
Michael remains silent and Daisy answers for him-
DAISY
He lives in the mirror in our room.
Daisy bursts out laughing… Michael glares back at her, furious.
Puzzled, Amy reflects briefly on Daisy's remark-
*
56.
CONTINUED:
(CONTINUED)
AMY
Is it your father who told you that?
*
Michael remains silent.
*
AMY (CONT'D)
Michael, answer me. Did your father
*
talk to you about the mirrors?
*
MICHAEL
No Mommy.
*
Amy questions him with her eyes. Michael lowers his.
*
AMY
*
OK... Come on, come on guys, let's get
our teeth brushed, and our coats on.
The first one in the car is the
winner.
The two kids dash up the stairs. Amy is left alone to clean up
breakfast.
She casts a glance at the front hall mirror. Daisy's comment
lingers in her thoughts.
Dressed in their coats, Michael and Daisy come running down the
stairs and rush out of the house... Amy exits the house. The car
drives away.
Daisy's cat leaps onto the kitchen table and directs his gaze to
the mirror-
FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE CAT SUDDENLY STIFFENS INTO A
POSITION OF DEFENSE. HE BRISTLES HIS COAT AND HISSES AND SPITS
TOWARDS HIS REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR.
CUT TO:
EXT. DAY - ROOSEVELT PSYCHIATRIC DETENTION CENTER
Wide shot- The high security psychiatric hospital stands under a
leaden sky -
*
DR. MORRIS (V.O.)
*
You know, Mr. Carson, when one starts
#
to perceive one's own reflection as a
completely separate being, one is
suddenly confronted with two entirely
separate egos, two entirely separate
worlds that can surface at any given
moment-
*
57.
CONTINUED: (2)
INT. DAY - ROOSEVELT PSYCHIATRIC DETENTION CENTER
DR. MORRIS, the doctor who had once been in charge of Terrence
Berry, escorts Ben down the corridor-
*
DR. MORRIS
A feeling of self-hatred, generally
triggered by a psychological shock can
split the personality in two, hence
creating two or more personalities
with distinct memories or behavior
patterns within the same individual.
The patient then has a faulty
perception of the existence of two
distinct worlds, which are principally
the “real” word, and the world “inside
the mirror”.
*
The two men pass a number of guards and security check-points as
they head down towards the hospital's film and video archive-
BEN
Did you consider Terrence innocent?
Dr. Morris swipes his magnetic card through the electronic
device, unlocking the door to the archives.
DR. MORRIS
In my opinion, he was convinced that
he was telling the truth when he
claimed he didn’t kill his family. I
too am convinced that when it
happened, Terrence was not himself,
but rather his double, his mirror
image, one might say.
He enters the archives, followed by Ben-
*
INT. DAY - ARCHIVES- ROOSEVELT PSYCHIATRIC DETENTION CENTER
*
Dr. Morris' finger glides across several DV-tapes dated 2001 in
search of one particular tape-
DR. MORRIS
These recordings are from Terrence's
trial. You will find that they speak
for themselves.
He pushes the tape into the deck. A grainy picture appears on
the screen-
We discover TERRENCE BERRY, sitting behind a desk. His hands are
cuffed. Facing him, DR. MORRIS is leading the cross-examination.
58.
(CONTINUED)
Terrence is tense and uncomfortable. He keeps his face down,
never looking into the camera.
DESPITE HAVING SURVIVED THE FIRE, TERRENCE'S FACE IS NONETHELESS
DISFIGURED BY THIRD DEGREE BURNS. HE NO LONGER HAS FACIAL
FEATURES, AND HE STRUGGLES WITH HIS SPEECH.
DR. MORRIS (CONT'D)
Why did you set the department store
on fire?
TERRENCE
In order to… to destroy the mirrors.
Only fire can destroy a mirror, isn't
that right, Doctor?
DR. MORRIS
What made you think you absolutely had
Дата добавления: 2015-09-30; просмотров: 28 | Нарушение авторских прав
| <== предыдущая лекция | | | следующая лекция ==> |